Tiger Country, Bandhavgarh, M.P., India

TRIP DATE: 9th April to 12th April 2009

Call of the Wild was finally answered after a long wait. It was around same time last year that my friends visited Kanha and Bandhavgarh, returned all excited. This year it was my turn to experience the thrill. Summers (march to June) is better time to visit Tiger or any other forest reserve in north India if you are interested in spoting animals, specially Tiger. Its during this time when jungle is dry you can see till long distance plus its easier to zero down on locations where Big Cat can be spotted as he is gonna come to one of watering holes or relax under shades of some big tree. But if you wanted to enjoy the green lush environs and enjoy being outdoor then you should go between Oct to Feb. We booked our train ticket one month in advance to avoid last minute rush. Closest railway station to Bandhavgarh is Umaria but there are few trains from Delhi to Umarai. So we decided to get off at Kat tini. One can also take a flight to Jabalpur from where it is around 3-4 hours.


We got off at Katni station after an overnight journey from Delhi. Bandhavgarh is our around 100 km from Katni. Our cab was waiting right at station, which took around two and a half hours to reach Bandhavgarh. Since we were four of us we decided to hire a Qaulis (MUV) who charged us Rs.1600 each side. We had already booked our air cooled (don’t get confused with the term AC, which is commonly used for air cooled rooms here) in a jungle resort. Our resort was well appointed mid-budget comfortable place to stay. Mogli resort was located slightly off main bazaar and just 2 kms away from the reserve. Last stretch of almost a km towards the resort was through kuchcha rasta. Most of the resorts are located at similar locations.

 


Post lunch we were all excited to go for our first Jungle safari. Bandhavgarh (derived from Bandhogarh) was declared a national park in 1968 with an area of 105 km². The buffer is spread over the forest divisions of Umaria and Katni and totals 437 km², which was increased to 694 km² in 1993. The park derives its name from the most prominent hillock of the area, which is said to be given by Lord Rama to his brother Laxman to keep a watch on Lanka (Ceylon). Hence the name Bandhavgarh (Sanskrit Brother's Fort).

The lowest point in the park is at Tala, 440 m above sea level. In 1982, three more ranges namely, Khitauli, Magdhi and Kallawah were added to Tala range (the original Bandhavgarh National Park). Tala still remains the favorite area for spotting tigers and we were told that we were lucky to get permission in enter Tala region as we had gone on a long weekend and there were lot of other visitors. Its always better to book safari in advance to avoid any last minute availability issues.

There is a saying about the Park that " In any other Park, You got to be lucky to spot a tiger. In Bandhavgarh, you would be really unlucky if you don't see (at least) one." So it was only moments after we started our safari that we realised that we were not so unlucky after all. We spotted a tigress, relaxing amongst green surroundings under a tree. All the gypsies rushed to that spot and soon there was a traffic jam on that route. There were professional photographers, documentary makers along with tourists from across the world to check out the big cat. Most forests are full of surprises but there is nothing to beat one’s first sighting of tiger in the wild. She seemed completely oblivious of our presence and continued to yawn every once in a while. Tigers in this reserve are very human friendly and they are use to tourists around.

After a while we had to move out of that area and give chance to others. Initially we got excited when we spotted a Chittal (spotted Deer) but soon we found out that they were in abundance (around 7000).

 

The wide valleys along the streams carry long linear grasslands flanked by Sal forests. Rich mixed forests consisting of Sal, Saja, Salai, and Dhobin etc. with dense bamboo thickets occur in many places. These together provide Bandhavgarh its rich biodiversity making it one of the most interesting reserves.



At the centre of the Park is the Bandhavgarh hill, rising 811 m above sea level – surrounding it are a large number of smaller hills separated by gently sloping valleys. These valleys end in small, swampy meadows, locally known as 'bohera'. The park lies within the tropical monsoon climatic zone, characterized by well-defined winters, summers and rains. Temperature ranges from 2 2 °Cto a high of 44 °C as per the records.

 After our almost two hour safari around that sector of jungle we decided to move towards exit. Today being the first day we would get excited on almost every thing we spotted, Wild Boar, Nilgai, etc. With the tiger at the apex of the food chain, reserve contains 37 species of mammals, more than 250 species of birds, about 70 species of butterflies, a number of reptiles. Along one of the water holes we spotted a peacock with all its wings spread out, probably stretching when day was coming to an end. I decided to hang-on and click some pictures. Suddenly from the bushes came out another Tigress. Seeing tiger in wild every time is as enduring as it was the first time, same suspension of breath, same dreadful awe, same feeling of getting attracted to beauty and fear of the predator. Unlike last time, this tigress was roaming in an open area and we were first one to spot it. While this tigress was not as big as previous one but we were watching it from shorter distance,  I think the closest it came was 30 ft. Our day was made by spotting two tigers on the very first safari. Bandhavgarh has a very high density of tigers within the folds of its jungles. The 105 km² of park area open for tourist was reported to have 24 Tigers, a density of more one tiger for every 4.77 km².

Late evening was time to enjoy to Mahua, local liquor at the Machan in resort. This pungent smelling liquor tastes equally pungent. Most of us couldn’t manage to finish even one drink. 
 



Next morning we just decided to laze around and take a walk around the hotel. There was nothing around the hotel except barren red soil land, dry trees and dusty lanes. Tractor ride to main market was interesting but walking back to the hotel on that sunny afternoon was not so interesting. Evening was time for Fort Safari. To reach the fort one has to cross though the Jungle. Fort safari is slightly more expensive than Jungle safari. Jungle safari costs Rs.1700 for one gypsy and charges for Fort Safari are Rs.2500 plus entrance Rs.700. each gypsy is allowed to take maximum six people inside.

Drive up to Fort was really steep and only a 4X4 vehicle can manage to climb. Charm of this drive lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled and unexplored. We were told that there is another tigress with her three cubs who stays on the way to Fort but werent lucky enough to spot them.

After a steep climb we reached the supposedly 2000 year old fort. It is suppose to be the oldest fort in India. Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to take a guide. Apart from the status avatars of Lord Vishnu spread across the area there are three small temples of around the 12th century. These temples are deserted but the fort is still used as a place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived and preached here. The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside. Vultures wheel around the precipice which also attracts blue rock thrushes and crag martins. The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and permission is required to visit it. However permission is available locally and no trip to Bandhavgarh is complete without making an effort to climb up the fort.

Another adorable animal we found in abundance through out the jungle were Gray Langoors, also known as Old World monkeys seemed like original resident of this fort and reserve who had lived the history here.

Once you reach the fort you are allowed to get off the gypsy. This fort was unlike any other fort I had seen before. Most of the forts I had seen earlier had a very clear history behind it but here was fort which seemed older than history. No records are available to show when Bandhavgarh fort was constructed. However it is thought, to be some 2000 years old, and there are references to it in the ancient books, the “Narad-Panch Ratra” and the “Shiva Purana”. The last inhabitants deserted the fort in 1935.

Within a radius of 5 kms there are 39 caves within in the Bandhavgarh fort and in surrounding hillocks. Several caves carry inscriptions in Brahmi script. The oldest cave is from 1st century. Some caves have embossed figure such as those of tiger, pig, elephant and horseman. Badi gufa, the largest cave, has broad entrance, nine small rooms and several pillars. Its dated back to the 10th century. The cave appears primitive, lacking elaborate statues and carvings seen in the caves of Buddhists period. Its purpose remains mystery. Not all caves are accessible but our guide kept on informing us about various caves and related status. Its mandatory to have a guide while entering the jungle and/or safari. There are trained guides available at the entrance and guides are deputed by the forest officials while issuing entrance pass at the gate of reserve.




At the top of the hillock is the centuries old temple of Ram-Lakshman. Alongside the temple is a pond whith 12 temples around and an old treasury with treasury chest inside. I wonder if its  still full of gold coins :). A group of temples in the fort is assignable to the latter half of the eighth century. More than a dozen ornate pillars from other ruined temples were utilised for fort structures. These Rucaka pillars bear typical early ninth century carvings of Ghatapallavas, Grasamukha, Ardhapadma, vertical patravalli and palmette brackets. View from the top is breathtaking. One can see the entire valley across

The Fort houses a spectacular assortment of monolithic statues of Lord Vishnu in his many incarnations. Turtle, Wild boar, Fish and more. According to some legends the fish grows every year. During Janmashtami (Birth of Lord Krishna; in the month aug) villagers are allowed to walk across the reserve and reach this fort for worship. That’s the only time one can walk across the reserve.

While we were driving back from Fort a fellow gypsy driver informed us about another tiger spotted close by. All gypsies quickly turned towards that direction. The king was walking on gypsy’s track before he decided to move off the track and go into bushes. In such situation traffic stops, it reminded me of similar situations in Delhi, when traffic is stopped for VIP movements. Only difference being that in Delhi people are forced to stop and here its magnanimity which made people stop in awe. We were starring at one of the two males in this reserve. Code name B2, he was the biggest Tiger I had ever seen in my life. It was not too long when it disappeared in bushes. Almost same time we got to know about another tigress being spotted close by. Like a beeline gypsies ran again. She was a little too far in bushes so we could just have a glimpse of. By this time day had came to end and it was time for our gypsy to report back to the gate.

Next morning we were back again. This was our third Safari but we still seemed as excited as our first one. We reached the reserves gate. Road to the entrance is also worth a mention. One gypsy after another would swash pass a small stream flowing across the road before it would stop for registration at the entrance gate. During morning hours fixed routes are allocated to each four wheeler. Only after going through that particular route and reporting at central point they can go on any other route. This helps control traffic better inside the reserve.

We were asked to take route D. This was a part of jungle we had not explored earlier. Slightly hilly with thick bamboo forest, interesting landscape I must say. They weren’t many animals that we spotted in this region. Since this was our third day we were not really unhappy about it. Moreover, we knew that patience pays on this land of Big Cat. It again paid back. We saw two stags in wild action. Antlers which are often seen as crown and seem to add more to the looks is also potent fighting equipment. It is said that antlers of stag are meant to attract female counter part and sometimes also used to fight over a female counter part. In early morning silence of jungle the locked horns sounded like a fierce stick fight. It is said sometimes stags break their antlers and even die while fighting. This was one of the best moments we had across during our trip.

We moved on to reach central point and expected to get some information on tiger positions as well. Evening seemed liked better time to spot tigers. Our guide told us that tigers go in shades by 9.30 as it gets too hot by then. Soon we reached center points, had our morning chai and again started our hunt. After wandering for a while we got information about a tigress being spotted but we weren’t lucky this time. We tried a few watering holes as well but still couldn’t spot anything. Now we realized that we were actually in our last two visits. We also came across few other fellow visitors who had not spotted a single tiger so far.

While we were not able to spot another cat we decided to visit the famous Vishnu statue, called Shesh Shaiya. This large statue of Lord Vishnu is located on the Bandhavgarh hill, and is the only area within the park where you can walk on foot. The idol of Lord Vishnu is on a reclining position on the Shesh Naga, the seven-hooded serpent. The deity rests down in a green pool which is also the source of the Charanganga River. According to legends, the Charanganga originates from the feet of Lord Vishnu, hence the water is considered sacred and is left untouched. There was something mystical about this place. For a moment I felt I was in one of Indian Jones movies.

It was almost time for us to finish our safari by reaching starting part. On our way we did manage to spot the last tigress. She was on her way to the rest area, inaccessible by us tourists. Our guide figured that we didn’t get enough of her so to pep us up he decided to show a large spotted Owl and made it seem important while telling us that Owls don’t fly during the day and he must be sleeping therefore we could spend enough time observing it. On our way out we said bye to the two elephants who give company to reserve guards all the time. It was time for us go back to hotel leave for Katni railway station

The Ninja That Leaped Through Himalayan Passes

17^th July – 29^th July 2010

2154 kms in Himalayas (India) crossing one the world’s highest passes, a route motorcycle enthusiasts swear by across the world

(Delhi – Chandigarh – Manali – Mani – Rohtang –  Koksar – Sissu – Tandi – Darcha - Keylong – Jispa – Patsio – Zingzin Bar – Baralacha La – Suraj Tal – Sarchu – Gata Loop – Naki La – Lachung La – Kangla Jal - Pang – Moer Plains -Debring – Tanglanga La – Rumtse – Upshi – Karu – Stakna – Thiksey – Shey - Leh – Spituk – Nimmu – Saspol – Nural – Khaltse – Lamayaru – Fotu La – Hansikot – Bodhkhabru – Khangral – Namik La – Milbek – Kargil – Kabru – Thasgam – Dras – Matyan – Zozi La – Balatal – Sonmarg – Khulian – Gund – Kangan – Mahalgn – Gandarbal – Srinagar –Avantipore – Khanabal – Kazigund - Jawahar Tunnel – Ramban – Patnitop – Kud – Udhampur  - Kathua – Ranjit singh Dam – Pathankot – Mukerian –Dasayu – Jalandhar – Fagwara – Ludhiana – Khanna – Rajpura – Ambala – Chandigarh – Karnal – Delhi)

                   

 Its two a.m. and I’m six or maybe seven drinks down, surrounded by well-dressed, beautiful girls in this club with music so loud you can’t hear yourself. I close my eyes and can hear the wind flowing through my helmet again as I envision vast brown, barren terrain. It has been two months since I came back from a road trip to Ladakh Valley but it has left a lasting impact on me.

It’s very difficult to say whether it’s the kind of riding or the kind of bike which makes you decide on a particular machine. I thought I made a compromise when I bought the Kawasaki Ninja 250, but it was the best compromise I could make. Now that I had a bike, my friend who had a Royal Enfield Classic 500cc, had been pushing me to buy one just so that we could go on road trip. We decided to go for a big ride to Manali, Leh, Srinagar, Jammu and Delhi. I had been on the Manali – Leh route a few years back, but this time I wanted to complete the full ride. Like always, lots of my friends and colleagues got excited by the idea of riding to Leh, but when it came to actually going there everyone had reasons to back-off. So just like the last time I was left with one other friend. We both had done several road trips together, not on bikes though, so we knew it would be fun to ride together.

I was warned by Bajaj Auto (assembler and reseller of Kawasaki Ninja 250s in India) that the Ninja 250 is not meant for such terrain and I could face problems. While they were 200% sure that its engine and other mechanical parts wouldn’t pose any problems, they also warned that this particular motorcycle couldn’t be fixed by any road-side mechanic, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Oh yes, a few others declared me insane to even think of taking a Ninja (a sportbike) to Ladakh. But I was sure that I had to go. I said to myself, “If this isn’t the right bike, too bad Abhishek. You have already bought it so live with it.”

My friend Karan chose to attack the mountain passes with a Royal Enfield Classic 500cc, which faired better in the rougher terrain than the Kawasaki.

Most riders like to splurge on their bike, and getting ready for this trip was just the opportunity. My bike had no provisions to carry luggage, but for this trip I not only needed to carry my luggage but also to carry extra fuel. I went to a local bike expert (Kaulson’s Racing Products) who created a very interesting carriage space for me to carry two five-liter jerry cans. Also, original tires were not meant for the kind of terrain I planned to go through so I got my rear tire replaced with a knobbier enduro tire.

On July 17th at 8 a.m. we packed our rucksacks on the bike, fueled up the tank and jerry cans and started the ride. We both had been eagerly waiting for this morning. While my friend was enjoying the steady ride I kept revving my bike whenever and wherever I had the chance.

At the end of Day 1 we reached Manali after 13.5 hours and 550 kilometers of riding. We were tired but happy. We spent the Day 2 in Manali, and while I wanted to continue the journey my friend wanted to take it easy.
 

Photo contributed by Karan Vaid

Day 3 after popping diamox tablet, to avoid alttitude sickness, we left for Leh from Manali, a route of approximately 474 kilometers. The plan was to reach Sarchu (about 253 kilometers from Manali) but Rohtang and the grueling pass delayed our plans enough that we just managed to reach Jispa, which is 140 kilometers from Manali. It took almost three hours to cross Rohtang Pass with slush, traffic jams, fog and rain making it horrible. The only positive way to look at it was that Rohtang was the first pass on the route, and because it was the worst it will prepare us for the rest of the trip. We tanked up in Tanda (110 kms from Manali) which is the last fuel pump on this route before Leh and continued riding. Shortly after Rohtang the road become smooth and as we approached Jispa road conditions improved drastically. Roadside mutton, which consisted of rice at Koksar, was a good lunch break to keep us going until 6:30 in the evening when we stopped at hotel ibis in Jispa. Considering the wilderness where this hotel is located it was slightly expensive. This is the only good hotel on this entire route. besides this there are primarily tents, camps or some small guest house in Keylong.

The Ninja was a bit out place for the terrain, but the most popular bike for this kind of ride was the Royal Enfield. Frankly, I think it’s just a lack of choices that makes people take it as an option. I was happy riding my baby Ninja, however, zipping across small patches of tar mixed into an otherwise gravel track. We stoped

Day 4 we started from Jispa. Looking at good road conditions just before Jispa, I had an overly ambitious plan of covering the remaining 334 kilometers to reach Leh by late evening. This was not something that my friend really appreciated, but I didn’t want to lose momentum and in the back of my head I was counting the number of days before we had to leave. On this day we saw the worst water crossings. The area had witnessed heavy snow last winter which was now melting and forming not just water crossings but, at times, small rivers in the road. I had been over the road before but this time it was a different ball game. Every time I became skeptical before each water crossing, but I knew my Ninja and I would sail through it.

A little ahead of Darcha we came across the worst crossing with knee-deep water gushing across the road. Not to our surprise there was already a car stuck in it. While we did our bit in helping the driver take his car out, we also managed to pull our bikes across. Both of us required a good amount of manual force to push our bikes through. I was sure that I had damaged my bike’s body cover and maybe my silencer, but nope - zero damage. We stopped after crossing it, took off our shoes to pour out all the water, wringed our socks and got back on the saddle. Our lowers and socks hadn’t even started to dry when we came across another water crossing followed by another. From my last trip I could hardly recall three water crossings, but this time we were witnessing multiple. Also, compared to last time when there was at least 30-40% good tar on the road, this time it was hardly 10%. But isn’t this what we were there for? It wouldn’t be half the fun if there were no bad roads, no riding in freezing water or a chilling breeze.

Baralacha La was one of the more interesting passes of the journey that left us freezing in the high altitudes.

 

We came upon Baralacha La, which I thought was the most interesting pass of the route. As we approached, the brown landscape started transforming into white, and very soon we were riding through snow-covered mountains. We were beyond the feeling of cold. To top it all off we were also wet from the water crossings on our way up. We stopped for a while, took pictures and again started moving up towards the pass. As we were climbing up it was getting colder and the landscape was becoming even more amazing. Though we wanted to stop, we were too engrossed in riding and crossing the pass, so much so that we didn’t even stop when we saw the breathtaking, half-frozen aqua green lake on one side of the road called Suraj Tal. It distracted me and this was the only time on the trip that I fell. I noticed a pothole way too late and by the time I did my front wheel was already in it. Though I managed to pull it out, I lost my balance and dropped the bike. Dropping the bike was one thing, but lifting it was something else. The same bike which I could easily lift at home was almost impossible to lift here. I had no choice but to wait for help - which wasn’t too long. After 10 minutes a few fellow travelers stopped to help. It might sound weird but it took three of us all our strength to lift it up. This is what altitude and lack of oxygen does to you. I remember from our last trip that I was almost dead when I had to push my bike for 100 meters right after Tanglang La Pass.

Many of the climbs involved hairpin turns and switchbacks on a steep incline.

Next was Sarchu. This is where most of the travelers stop over for a night’s stay. It is a vast open valley between mountains, with several semi-permanent camps set up. The area is between two passes so it’s always very windy. Sarchu marks the end of Himachal and the beginning of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. There was a noticeable difference in road conditions here. The roads were smooth but with sudden dips. So if you had a loaded bike, you better be careful as you might end up breaking your back. Since I didn’t have much luggage on my bike I played a bit on this see-saw type road. I soon realized, however, that I was crossing speed limits and considering that the type of bike I was on was not designed for the off-road, so I had to slow it down.

We didn’t intend to stop here but we had to as we came across a few Spanish/Germans with a broken-down Royal Enfield. This is a common sight on this route. Royal Enfield bikes are good on these roads, but the probability of them breaking down is high - something to keep in mind in case you are planning to rent one for the ride. I suggest riding it around for a day before you start your journey on this route.

 

As soon as we crossed Sarchu we started climbing up the next two consecutive passes - Nakee La at 15,547 feet and Lachulung La at 16,616 feet. Numerous loops with 21 hairpins makes this climb fairly interesting. Be ready for dangerous skidding on loose gravel and sand just in case you decide to try shortcuts on hairpins on this steep climb. Before I started the trip I was concerned whether the Ninja’s low-torque engine would manage such steep climbs, but my apprehension was proven wrong as I had no problem going up. I would typically downshift to first gear on hairpins, shift up to 2nd or 3rd and revv it hard just until I reached the next hairpin. The quick ride between the hairpins was no doubt good fun.

Our next stop was Pang. Just a few kilometers short of Pang was one of the most dangerous water crosses called Kangla Jal. The width of water flowing across the river had increased at least three times from what it was two years back. While a bridge has been made, it covers only one-third of the stretch so one still needs to pass through the wide stretch of water. Since there was continuous water flowing here, there was no road and we had to be careful about rocks and the slippery surface. The only good thing is even if you fall, you won’t go down in the valley. Crossing this stream made us relieved. Little did we know that the stream didn’t end there but was just beginning. We were riding the stream for another 200 meters on our way down. My Ninja didn’t disappoint me even on such bad roads. That’s the best thing about this entry-level sportbike - maneuverability at slow speeds and on bad roads its not a problem, and on nicer roads the throttle satisfies the urge for a quick pick-up.

Photo contributed by Karan Vaid



The stretch before and after Pang is fairly interesting with weathered rocks/mountains on both sides of the road. I’m not sure what it’s called but I called it Indian Canyons! It was the unpredictability of the terrain on this route that made this trip such an awesome ride.

Pang was our next stop for the night. There are several camps here where you can get basic food and beds to sleep in. Be ready to sleep next to strangers in case you are in a small group and the place is crowded. Veg thupka for dinner was not a bad decision. We were too tired to complain about the bed bugs, but a strong breeze and locals gossiping woke us up early in the morning. We were all set to move along after our nice morning tea and after refueling our bikes, I realized that my bike had better mileage than my friend’s Indian thumper, as he had already consumed the entire 10 liters of extra fuel we were carrying, whereas I had only consumed five.

Now it was time to experience yet another marvel of the trip - more plains. Imagine 20, actually 40, football fields. While BRO has tried to develop a road here, it was under maintenance. In fact, the off-roading here is smoother than on the road. But like I said - unpredictability is the nature of this route. What looked like a smooth, plain surface from a distance had patches of loose sand that made our tires skid. After crossing various water crosses, dusty roads, snow-covered lanes, steep climbs and narrow roads I was riding through these plains where you could choose to ride on a straight path or zig-zag through.

 

As the plains ended we started the climb to the highest pass on the route, Tanglang La. Road conditions were still bad, but there was no slush and water. For the first time there wasn’t any snow-melted water on the road, but snow blocks forced us to stop and wait for a backhoe to clear the road. This was the last pass on Manali-Leh Highway, and we were hoping that the road after this would get better. We weren’t surprised though when it continued to be bad for another 30 kilometers until we reached Rumtse. The last time I traveled this route I got stuck at Rumtse for a night when my bike broke down, so I thought it was a good idea to stop at the same isolated tea shop where I stayed the last time. The road ahead was just too good to believe. The landscape also started to transform into a few green/yellow flower patches. Just when we started enjoying this stretch it came to an end and we had reached Leh around four in the afternoon. Leh being an important commercial center for region and tourism has also started increased over past few years so there are various hotels in different price range.

Flat ground was a nice reprieve from dangerous mountain passes.

After spending a few days in Leh and doing the rounds of nearby places, we decided to move further. Leh – Srinagar is a 430-kilometer stretch and we had heard that road conditions were good. But of course the conditions turned out to be poor. This is the highway that connects the rest of India with Ladakh valley and is open throughout the entire year, unlike Manali-Leh Highway which is only open between May and September. This was a much wider highway, but when we were crossing it was under construction so we gathered tons of dust on the gravel track. On our way we crossed Fatula Pass, the highest point on Leh - Srinagar Highway. We finally reached Kargil and decided to spend the night there.

 

The next morning we started riding further towards Srinagar. This road was under army surveillance all the time, not just the Indian army but also Pakistan’s. The road signs read: “Be careful, you are under enemy’s surveillance.” Road conditions continued to be poor and soon we started approaching the last pass of our trip, Zozila Pass.

There are few environmental features common to most of the mountain passes. It’s very quiet, everything seems to stand still, there are strong winds and hardly any signs of life. Zozila Pass connects Ladakh Valley to Kashmir Valley. The real trick of this pass starts after you reach the top and start descending into Kashmir Valley. The narrow, twisted, slippery and steep lane was covered in fog and ran next to a 300-foot valley on one side. Visibility was hardly five meters so you feel as though you are riding all alone on a road that’s leading to nowhere. I think this was the scariest moment of our entire journey. The 300-foot drop on the side was even scarier because it was covered in fog and, at places, we could see the frozen river at bottom.

 

Zozila Pass was covered in fog and had narrow roads during the descent that were both slippery and steep.

 

Once we crossed Zozila Pass we entered the lush Kashmir Valley. This is when it started raining. This part of the ride was really beautiful. We reached Srinagar around 3 p.m., had lunch and from there I decided to move alone as my friend was too tired riding his over-loaded Enfield. While he decided to stop over in Srinagar, I decided to continue riding. I still had to cover 700 kilometers by the end of the next day. I kept on riding for another six hours and reached Udhampur. I was dead tired, and my butt was bruised after riding for over 16 hours. I had no choice but to leave early the next morning. The highway was busy on the last day, but as I reached the plains I had no reason to ride slow on the welcoming highway. I think the maximum I touched was 170 km/h. I covered 450 kilometers on last day and reached Delhi by 7 in the evening with fresh memories from an unforgettable ride.